Kanding, where's my welcome party?

As planned, I'm now in Kanding N 30 03.351' E 101 57.877' (sorry I can't find the degree key!) altitude 2500 meters. The 6 hours journey from went very well. I enjoyed using the GPS and it's altimeter function. I'm getting used to it... It will really prove helpful if I want to return to the Internet Cafe I'm at now. Had to ask many locals to find it but the speed is quite okay actually.

So I was expecting Chuga to be waiting for me at the bus station. Well, he was not! After walking for one hour around the bus station carying my bags, I got a room in the small hotel I stayed in last time. 100 RMB (10 euros) for a single room. Went walking some more without the bags hoping to meet Chuga or hear from him. I had a phone number of a contact in Kanding but nobody was answering. I finally reached that person two hours after my arrival and I was told that Chuga already left a couple of days ago.

So I went back to the bus station and booked a seat for tomorrow 6.15 am bus to Kandze. It's a 13 hours drive. But it's a pleasant one as the landscape is amazing. It seems to change with every valley.

It's less cold than what I expected, it was actually quite warm when the sun was shining in a perfectly blue sky.

I'll not make it longer today. I had no dinner yet. But as a good reporter, I first publish my post and then I can relax ;-)

As, said before, I have no idea when I'll be able to connect again. The further you go from Chengdu, the worse the bus and roads get and the more difficult I think it will be to connect.

But maybe I'll have a good surprise tomorrow, I guess we'll all know in 24 hours.